Switch



Jne 17 1924. 1,498,407

' M. F. STEIN SWITCH Filed Jan. 9, 1922Y if f- A i .lly l INVENTOR:

K TTORNEYS.

Patented June 17, 1924.

UNITED STATESv MORRIS F. STEIN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SWITCH.

Application filed January 9, 1922.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, MORRIS F. STEIN, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of Philadelphia., State of Pennsylvania,have invented new and useful Switches, of which the following is aspecification.

The object of my invention is to provide a novel switch or detector forthe purpose of testing the ignition system in any cyli'nder of aninternal combustion engine of conventional type, such as are commonlyused in automobiles, trucks or other selfpropelled vehicles.

Another object of this invention is to provide novel means for testingthe coils or spark plugs or grounded or disconnected wires on anyignition or wiring system.

It further consists of other novel features of construction, all as willbe hereinafter fully set forth.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown in theaccompanying drawings a form thereof which is at present preferred byme, since it will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results,although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities ofwhich my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized andthat my invention is not limited to the precise arrangement andorganization of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Figure 1 represents a fragmentary perspective view of an instrumentboard of a motor vehicle, showing my invention attached to the dashthereof. y y

y Figure 2 represents a section on line 2-2 Figure 1.

Figure 3 represents a section on line 3 3 Figure 2. n f

yFigure 4 represents al section on line 4- Figure 3.

Figure 5 represents a side view of my invention. u l

Figure 6 represents a fragmentary View showing one of the knife bladesin a neutral position.

Figure 7 represents a wiring diagram.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding partis. y

1 designates my novel switch or detector, which is applicable to the gasengine or ignition system of a motor vehicle, aeroplane orv the like,

In Figure 1 invention iS ShwI s Serial No. 527,853.

attached to the instrument board of a motor vehicle. the detector 1comprising a casing or shell 2, having the lugs 3 thereon, through whichsuitable fastening devices pass.

4 designates an insulated disc which is fastened to the inner peripheryof the casing 2 in any conventional manner, said disc being adapted tosupport the bolt 5 on which are rotatably mounted the knife blades 6, 7,8 and 9, said blades being held in assembled position by a nut or thelike.

10, 11, 12 and 13 designate the switch contacts, which receive saidknife blades 6, 7, 8 and 9, said contacts, being electrically connectedto the lead wires of the spark plug circuit.

1 4, 15, 16 and 17 are sockets or contacts of the same type, but areconnected to the coil box, which may be seen more clearly from Figures1, 3 and 7.

Each knife blade has the oppositely located contact lugs 18 and 19, andprojects through thc slots 2O of the casing 2 and terminates in theinsulated knobs or handles 21, whose lower portion 22 fits tightlyagainst the both sides of the offset portions of the slots 20, thusfrictionally maintaining the same in any position desired.

Both the spark plug and coil contacts are fastened to the disc 4 by thebinding posts composed of the screws or bolts 23 and nuts 24.

25 designates radially arranged insulated separators adapted to separateand insulate the coil and spark plug sockets to prevent any lpossibleshortcircuiting.

26 represents an inner cylindrical insulated lining, used to insulatethe casing from thel circuits. y y

The recess 27 in the insulation 4 is adapted to receive the member 28,the spring 29 and the plunger 30, said members comprising a groundcircuit, grounded by way of the casing 2 and the screws 31 to theinstrument board, as shown in Figure 2.

When the instrument board is of some insulating material, a wire 33 isused to ground to the cylinder.

34 designates a rear insulating disc used to insulate all wires, fromthe instrument board.

The casing 1 is constructed in a novel manner, having a flanged annulus35 in engagement with its front, said annulus holding the glass, mica orany other transparent material 36 therein.

The contacts or sockets 10, 11, 12, 13 are directly connected to thespark plug system, the socket 10 being connected to cylinder A by thewire 37, the socket 11 to the cylinder B by the wire 38, the socket 12to the cylinder C by the wire 39, the socket 13.to the cylinder D by thewire 40. Y

The sockets 14, 15, 16 and 17 are connected to the coil box 41 by thewires 42, 43, 44, 45 respectively.

The operation is as follows Then all the cylinders are firing properly,the knife blades are in a neutral position, as shown in Figui'e 6.

Vhen, for example, the spark plug in cylinder A is to be tested, theknife blade 6 is positioned about one eighth of an inch (g) away fromthe contact 10, and if tlio spark plug in said cylinder is in goodworking order, a spark will be created at the spark gap thus formed.

If the spark plug is grounded in any way, as vby soot or carbon on theelectrodes, or if said electrodes are in :contact with each other, nospark will be created, showing that the plug being tested isinoperative.

If the spark plug of cylinder A being tested is in good condition andsaid blade 6 contacts with the contact 10, no spark will be created bythe plug of said cylinder A and the motor will slightly slow down.

When the motor is used in a self-propelled vehicle and is under a heavyload or climbing a steep grade and one cylinder seems to miss, and it isdesired to ascertain which one is missing, the knife blades or switchesare Vopened and closed, one after the other in sequence. VlrIhis willcut off each cylinder separately and independently and cut down thepower in the cylinders which are not missing, but when the switch of thebad cylinder is closed, it will make no dierence in the operation of themotor, thus indicating the cylinder Vwhich is missing.

When testing the coils of the coil box 41, the knife blades G, 7 Sand 9are closed on the coil sockets 17 16, 15, 14 respectively, as shown indotted lines in Figure 3, whereuponV if the coils are in .propercondition they will give a buzzing sound.

Vlienthe ignition system is to be tested, the knife blades or switchesare in a neutral position as shown in Figure, or about one quarter of aninch (4) away from a spark plug contact 10, the lead wires from the coilrboXv to'the spark plugs are disconnected and at this point, if theignition system is in proper condition, there will 'be a jump sparkVbetween said blade and contact member.

It will be understood from the foregoing that all the knife blades 6, 7,8 and 9 during Ythe normal operation of the motor are norbetween thecentral electrode and the shellV of saidV plug, itwill create a longerand stronger spark between Vsaid knife blades and spark plug contacts,it being understood that there is no resistance in the spark plug, thespark between one knife blade and contact being intensied.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that my device can be veryreadily assembled and installed upon the instrument board or othersupport, and by making the contour of the casing preferably cylindricaland arranging the offset slots 2O so that the ends of the. knife bladesproject therefrom diametrically or radially, a pleasing appearance isgiven to the'device when it is installed in position. v

The provision of the annulus 35 with its transparent cover 36 preventsthe entrance of dirt or dust to the interior of the casing and thetransversely located disk or insulation 4 serves as an effective supportfor the binding posts and their contacts, together with the switchelements and their adjuncts, all the parts being readily accessible forthe purposes of inspection, replacement or repairs, as is evident.

It will be evident that suitable insulation is provided at all thepoints where insulation is required, as will be evident to those skilledin the art.' 1

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character stated, a casing, an insulating memberarranged transversely therein, a central support in the latter, knifeblades havingtheir inner ends rotatably mounted on said support andtheir outer ends projecting through slots in said casing, sets ofradially arranged contacts arranged in pairs between said knife bladeslocated in said casing, and means for frictionally locking with thecasing the outer ends of said blades in their extreme positions. i

2. In a device. of the character stated, a casing of annular contour, adisk shaped insulating member transversely supported in said casingintermediate of its front and rear, a central support in said insulatingmember, knife blades radially arranged and having their inner endsrotatably mounted on said support and their outer ends projectingthrough offset slots inl said casing, a series of Vcontacts for saidknife blades located in said casing, a transparent cover for saidcasing, andmea'ns for Yfrictionally locking with the casing theouter'end of a blade in its eXtreme position.

3. In a device of the character stated, an annular casing, an innerinsulating lining for the sides and rear of said casing, an insulatingdisk shaped member transversely located Within said casing intermediateof the front and rear thereof, a central support in said insulatingmember, knife blades having their inner ends rotatably mounted on saidsupport and their outer ends projecting through offset slots in saidcasing, a series of contacts for said knife blades located on saidintermediate disk shaped insulating member Within said casing, atransparent cover for said casing, and means for frictionally lockingwith the casing the outer ends of said blades in their extremepositions.

4. In a device of the character stated, a casing, insulation for theinner periphery and rear portion thereof, an insulating member extendingtransversely of said casing intermediate of its front and rear, acentral support in said insulating` member, knife. blades having theirinner ends rotatably mounted on said support and their outer endsprojecting through offset slotsin the Walls of said casing, a series ofcontacts located on each side of said knife blades Within said casingand means for frictionally locking With the casing the outer ends ofsaid knife blades in their extreme positions.

5. In a device of the character stated, a casing having slots, aninsulating member arranged transversely therein and intermediateJ of thefront and rear thereof, a plurality of radially arranged knife bladesrotatably carried by said insulated member, the outer terminals of saidblades projecting through the slots in the Walls of said casing, therear of said insulating member being provided with binding posts for theconductors leading to the elements to be tested, an insulating liningfor the inner periphery of said casing, and an insulating plate for therear of said casing.

6. In a device of the character stated, a casing having offset slots, aninsulating member arranged transversely therein and intermediate of thefront and rear thereof, a plurality of radially arranged knife bladesrotatably mounted on a support carried by said casing, the outerterminals of said blades projecting through the offset slots in theWalls of said casing, the rear of said insulating member being providedwith binding posts for the conductors leading to the elements to betested, an insulating lining for the inner periphery of said casing,insulation for the rear of said casing, an annulus in engagement withthe outer front of said casing and a cover of transparent materialcarried in said annulus.

IVM. D. DowNEY, C. D. MOVAY.

